Process for the manufacture of artificial fuel from waste products.



Ag FTEN FFEQEEQ REGINALD BROWN, (3F SGUTHALL, ENGLAND.

PROCESS FOR THE DEANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL FROM WASTE PRODUCTS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REGINALD BROWN, a subject of the King of England,residing at Southall, in England, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Processes for the Manufacture of Artificial Fuel fromaste Products, of which the following is a specfication.

This invention relates to a new or improved process for the manufactureof artificial fuel from waste products such for example as ash bin orhouse refuse, including ashes, dirt and other suitable waste materialsand the object is to render the process cleanly in operation and freefrom the disadvantages hitherto experienced in utilizing refuse for thepurpose hereinbefore stated, while at the same time producing a fuel ofgood calorific value.

It has previously been proposed to mix the refuse with a binding orconglomerating agent prior to pressing or forming the mass into briquetsor the like but no attempt has hitherto been made to compress thepowdered refuse into briquets or the like and to depend entirely uponmoisture for temporary binding properties and to apply the bindingmaterial after, and not before, the briquets are made.

The refuse i first reduced to a powdered .or suitably disintegratedcondition by any suitable means after the elimination of any deleterioussubstance such as iron or other incombustible material, and my inventionessentially consists in compressing or forming the powdered mass intobriquets or the like, the moisture'of the mass being sufficient as arule, when subjected to pressure, to insure temporary bindingproperties, (although when necessary moisture may be added,) andsubsequently treating the briquets or blocks so formed with a suitablesoluble and liquid binding material either by immersion or impregnationunder pressure.

The binding material which I use is oil tar (which is a powerfuldisinfectant) or preferably a mixture of heated oil tar and pitch, thebinder being used in the proportions of about 10 per cent. of the weightof the refuse material, and if the mixture of the oil tar and pitch beused. these materials are best mixed in the relative proportions ofabout 5 per cent. oil tar and 5 per cent. pitch, (both based on theweight of the refuse matter) the best proportions to be Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed September 17, 1917.

rial being dealt with, some refuse Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

Serial No. 191,871.

matebeing capable of carrying more oil tar or pitch and some less in themixture. Again if the fuel material is intended to be used immediatelyand not stored the proportion of oil tar may be somewhat greater thanthat indicated. Further the proportions stated more particularly applyto the application of the binding material to the blocks or briquets bythe immersion or dipping method, a slightly greater fluidity beingrequired for the pressure impregnation method which would be produced byincreasing the proportion of oil tar.

In dealing with the refuse for the purpose of making the briquets or thelike it is preferably fed on to traveling bands in order to facilitate apreliminary sorting to eliminate iron and such like material unsuitablefor or deleterious to combustion. The portion of the waste materialwhich is suitable for the manufacture of fuel, is then passed intosuitable crushing or disintegrating machine and crushed into a suitablypowdered or disintegrated condition, and is then passed into hoppers orotherwise fed into presses, which hoppers may be provided with steampipes or other means for adding moisture if necessary, or this may beeffected at any other convenient stage, to in crease the temporarybinding properties, and the moistened material is then compressed intobriquets or blocks of any convenient size and shape. by hand or bvpower.

The briquets thus formed are allowed to dry for about twenty-four hoursunder ordinary atmospheric conditions, this being usuallv sufiicient,but may be assisted by heat if necessary and it is preferred to make thebriquets of ovoid form of about two inches in th ckness for the reasonthat in atmospheric drying, the air will readily pass through same andwith the dipping method of applying the binding agent, the latter willimpregnate the briquets throughout.

The compressed briquets are then either simply immersed in the liquidbinding material or are conveyed into a suitable cylinder or cylindersthe latter being hermetically sealed and a vacuum formed therein afterwhich the binding or impregnating material is fed in under pressurewhereupon the material permeates the briquets or blocks and after therequisite amount of impregnating material has been applied the supplyused, will depend on the class of fuel the briquets is increased is cutoff and the briquets removed and stacked ready for use as fuel.

Dipping or immersion for a short time is usually sufficient but thecalorific value of by protracting this step or by the impregnation underpressure.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentofthe United States is:-

A process of producing artificial fuel briquets from the Waste productsof the general character of ash bin refuse, which comprises firstforming finely divided Waste material of the kind specified, andnormally containing coal, etc., into blocks or briquets by pressure;While containing moisture in amount sufiicient to insure temporarybinding and Without any considerable excess of Copies 01 this patent maybe obtained for moisture, and Without adding extraneous binding agentsthereto, other than the said moisture, and subsequently treating thesaid blocks or briquets With a liquid binding material consistingessentially of a mixture of approximately equal parts of oil tar andpitch, said liquid binding material being added in amount equivalent toabout 10% of the Weight of the combustible portion of the Wastematerial.

In Witness whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

REGINALD BROWVN.

WVitnesses A. E. MELHUISH, A. MORRELL.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

